Guns for San Sebastian (1968)

Once one gets over the poor attempt to conceal Anjanette Comer's rather Hollywood sex appeal in a Hispanic makeover (they had tried before with Sidney J. Furie's "The Appaloosa" (1968) with Marlon Brando), Anjanette's forte was comedies like "The Loved One" and "Quick Before It Melts", and also Charles Bronson's rather cheezy blending into a half-breed Indian that detract from the movie's realism, I was rather pleasantly surprised by 1968's "Guns for San Sebastien." The index I checked before ordering the film prepared me for a rather tedious exercise which turned out to be totally unwarranted and thanks to my knowledge of the reputation of Henri Verneuil, who had done so well with "The 25th Hour" the year before and star Anthony Quinn, I was treated to an exciting and enthralling assault on the imagination in both sound and spectacle. It predates "The Wild Bunch" at first with the stop motion on violence, but then goes for straight Western spectacle, providing Quinn another well suited role as a renegade thrust into the unlikely role of a priest of a village he can help display their humanity so aptly. Verneuil again shows quite a talent for widescreen. Ennio Morricone's score is helpful. The script flows well by James R. Webb from a book, "A Wall for San Sebastien" by William B. Flaherty. Photography by Armand Thirand is quite good. Halliwell's calls the film "undistinguished." How totally wrong they were this time, as this film, somewhat riveting, goes beyond the routine western and lives on in the spirit of your imagination.

This is a good albeit slow moving film and other reviewers have given accurate reviews of the film. My only reservation is the title makes it sound very B GRADE. I'm sure this film would have a stronger following if given the a title I have put or titled THE PRIEST OF SAN SEBASTIAN.There are many films in which a band of rebels want to take over a peasant village with violence and killing and as with this one I question, Why? Especially when in doing so they almost burn the village to the ground. But That's my issue.Anthony Quinn does a very good job of carrying the film and I just wish his character had more to say because his words at the end are quite poignant. When he does talk he is very strong, forceful and illuminating.I also feel the film needed another strong male lead in the village. Anthony Quinn in fact was too much of a strength and I got the feel that villagers would not be able to stand on their own two feet without him.The action scenes are quite inventive and makes me think this could be remade successfully.Anjanette Comer is very good and very beautiful. It's a pity she hasn't been in more films.

I finally caught this film today for the first time. I was actually looking forward to it since I had already seen Quinn directed by Verneuil in "The 25th Hour(La Vingt-Cinquieme Heure)". THAT was a captivating, haunting film. THIS one wasn't. Quinn plays a Mexican Bandit on the run rescued by Sam Jaffe's Catholic Priest in sanctuary. Through a series of mischances, Quinn winds up in the role of Priest where he teaches the villagers to fight off bandits led by Charles Bronson and Yaqui Indians. I agree to the surrealist elements of this film which, quite frankly, detracts from the main story of an otherwise formulaic spaghetti western. So if you want to see a REALLY good film starring Quinn and directed by Verneuil, skip this one and find "The 25th Hour" instead.

Anthony Quin plays Leon Alastray, part time revolutionary and full time bandit, on the run from the Spanish authorities in Old Mexico in the 18th Century. Through a series of unlikely but possible events, Quinn is mistaken for a priest whom has come to the small village of San Sebastian. The villagers are being victims by Jaime Fernandez and his band of Yacquis. Charles Bronson plays (badly, worst performance of his career) a half-breed whose loyalties are always suspect. Anjanette Comely, er Comer, plays the sultry love interest. Rather silly story, good cinematography, fairly good special effects, and outstanding music (by the master, Ennio Morricone) makes this a worthwhile view. Turner Classic Movies shows it in letterbox. Otherwise, you are out of luck. It's not available in video.